Progress Thread The "grátis" 1966 Coupe - final sheet metal repairs

I modified the top rear of the passenger quarter. The end cap sits nicely now and matches up with the trunk lid very well.

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I moved on to the driver's side and got it where I wanted it. It will likely need a thin coat of filler in a few places to be perfect. Looks pretty good, though.

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I then put the tail panel in place again to see what I was up against. I think my original assessment that the left side was high is incorrect. I think the passenger side maybe low. I set the bumper brackets in place to see how they interacted with the tail panel. The driver's side is near perfect. Passenger side, not so much.

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So with the end caps welded in and fitted with the trunk, the tail panel sits a little crooked on the rear trunk support. Everything is level, the trunk support is properly located on the ends of the rear frame rails. The trunk gaps look pretty good, so I'm not sure what is going on here. I'm tempted to just weld it in as is since the trunk gaps are fine. Perhaps modify the holes on the tail panel or modify the bumper bracket? Video will be posted soon.

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Looking back through pictures before I started taking it apart, the old tail panel actually fit the exact same way. Low on the passenger side, higher on the driver's side.

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Just can't listen to tall that wind :fuss:







What do I know? Might have to have it in order to work :shrug:
Shush ! Down in front men at work here ...i need pop corn if everything lin
I modified the top rear of the passenger quarter. The end cap sits nicely now and matches up with the trunk lid very well.

x5iddro.jpg


I moved on to the driver's side and got it where I wanted it. It will likely need a thin coat of filler in a few places to be perfect. Looks pretty good, though.

GJPVpIL.jpg


I then put the tail panel in place again to see what I was up against. I think my original assessment that the left side was high is incorrect. I think the passenger side maybe low. I set the bumper brackets in place to see how they interacted with the tail panel. The driver's side is near perfect. Passenger side, not so much.

cjZbn6d.jpg

su1aAJq.jpg


So with the end caps welded in and fitted with the trunk, the tail panel sits a little crooked on the rear trunk support. Everything is level, the trunk support is properly located on the ends of the rear frame rails. The trunk gaps look pretty good, so I'm not sure what is going on here. I'm tempted to just weld it in as is since the trunk gaps are fine. Perhaps modify the holes on the tail panel or modify the bumper bracket? Video will be posted soon.

FwvG7D0.jpg
If everything lines up well ,even the bumper just trim away the excess metal below the tail panel ,i sometimes have to trim window openings if the hang over
 
So here's where I stand. I took some measurements to assess.

From the top lip of the forward trunk drain channel to the bottom lip of the trunk transition pan. On the left, 19 7/8". On the right, 19 15/16". The passenger side is higher than the driver's side in this area by 1/16" of an inch. Not bad.

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I then measured from the top of the trunk support to the top of the tail panel. This is where it gets bad. On the left, 10½". On the right, 10¼". The passenger side is a full ¼" higher than the driver's side where I measured. Remember, the trunk support is level, and the trunk lid lines up perfectly with the quarters and end caps. Any idea what's going on here? Is the passenger frame rail possibly bent?

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@horse sence @Davedacarpainter @95steedamustang Do you have any recommendations?

All I can think of right now is to maintain the position of the tail panel relative to the quarters and trunk lid while seeing if I can manipulate the passenger frame rail somehow? Would the car be structurally sound enough to move without the tail panel in place? I'm thinking possibly waiting until after the move to perhaps get it to a frame shop to have it checked and possibly pulled/corrected if necessary?
 
Some more measurements. I laid a 6' level on the tops of the quarters and measured from the bottom of the level to the top of the tail panel and the trunk support on both sides.

Tail panel. Right: 4 3/8", left: 4 7/16"? These measurements were a little tough to tell exactly. 1/16" isn't really that much?

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Trunk support. Right: 14 3/4", left: 14 15/16".

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I spent all day fiddling around with things and eventually was able to get it all to fit together better. The trunk support is still skewed a little bit compared to the tail panel, but I'm not going to worry about it since the trunk and end cap gaps are good.

Between the front and rear accidents and departure from pavement I suspect at some point in this car's past, it'll probably never be 100% square. At least this area will be behind the valence and bumper. Everything else should look good.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow when I weld everything in. Too dark to weld now.
 
These things were never really square ,i have seen the roof on more than one lean to one side as much as 1 /2 inch . 1/4 inch isnt bad ,1 /16 dont worry about it
That's pretty much what I gathered after today. It'll still look good when it's done. I don't think I could do this for a living, though.
 
These things were never really square ,i have seen the roof on more than one lean to one side as much as 1 /2 inch . 1/4 inch isnt bad ,1 /16 dont worry about it


I know this is true for one reason only: I've seen horse sense and probably half a dozen others that have done this level of work, say it [consistently]. :rlaugh:

I remember this because of all the, "What in the FLYING rAT M0hTher of all HSFD*(W@$T&**&*SFJK" threads. :)

I bring this up for another reason though...

Question: Would it help to temporarily spot weld pieces of all-thread to certain portions of the body, with a turnbuckle in the center to help [pull] stuff here and there?
 
After a whole lot of measuring, fitting, and hammering, the tail panel is in. I still need to grind the welds, but I'm happy.

It got too dark to work, so tomorrow I'll grind the welds, do some touch up welding, and cut the excess metal from the trunk drop offs. I'll also do a final video. This is the last bit of work I'm going to be doing on the car before we move. Glad to have it done.

New flange on the lower driver's quarter.

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Fitting the trunk corners.

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A little dark, but it's hard to argue with this!

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